Puerto Rico's Francisco Lindor celebrates a double as Netherlands shortstop Andrelton Simmons watches during the first inning of a semifinal in the World Baseball Classic in Los Angeles, Monday, March 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Netherlands' Andrelton Simmons reacts after striking out against Puerto Rico during the third inning of a semifinal in the World Baseball Classic in Los Angeles, Monday, March 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

TEMPE, Ariz. >> Andrelton Simmons returned to the mundane preparation for his day job on Wednesday.

After a three-week hiatus to play in intense baseball games, wearing his country’s name on his chest, the Angels shortstop was back to playing the zero-pressure baseball of the Cactus League.

The good news is, in about a week and half he’ll again be playing with something on the line. And he believes what he just did is going to help.

“I can’t predict the future, but I definitely feel more locked in than normal in spring training,” said Simmons, a Curaçao native who played for the Netherlands. “It’s a lot more focused at-bats. A lot more intense. You are focused (in spring training) but you are not selling out for an at-bat. When you’re trying to win something, you are more focused.”

Simmons, who singled and walked in the Angels’ game on Wednesday, hit .344 (11 for 32) in the WBC. He hopes that is a good sign for the season. In 2013, he also played in the WBC, and he returned to have one of his best seasons in the majors. He hit 17 homers and won a Gold Glove.

That’s why Simmons was willing to leave the Angels to play for his country, even though it meant going to the other side of the world for games in South Korea and Japan and coming back sick.

“A lot of traveling, a lot of people, a lot of germs,” he said.

Simmons said he would recommend the WBC to anyone who asks.

“It’s a fun experience,” he said. “Not everybody can risk playing. Maybe they are fighting for a job or whatever. But if you have the opportunity and you’re healthy, it’s a fun experience. Spring training is cool and all, but the Classic is way intense. It’s fun to represent your country.”

Not so fun was the way the Netherlands lost two of its games. Starting in the 11th inning of WBC games, teams begin the inning with runners at first and second. It’s a rule intended to prevent games from going deep into extra innings and taxing pitching staffs at a time of year when players are trying to get ready for the season. Both times the Netherlands got to the 11th, it lost, including in the semifinals Monday night against Puerto Rico.

“I wasn’t a big fan of (the rule) before we had to do it,” he said, “and I’m less of a fan now.”

Valbuena hurt

The Angels finally had their entire projected opening day lineup on the field on Wednesday, but it lasted only three innings.

Luis Valbuena left the game after three innings because of right hamstring tightness, which could be concerning because he had surgery on his right hamstring last August.

Valbuena already missed almost two weeks this spring with weakness in his legs. This injury is in a slightly different spot.

If Valbuena’s injury keeps him out for an extended period, the Angels have C.J. Cron to play first.

Valbuena got hurt in the first game the Angels played with all their projected starters. They got back Simmons and Yunel Escobar, who had been out with a minor abdominal strain.

Richards might yield to Shoemaker

The Angels continue to cross off days on the calendar without giving any more definitive news as to how their rotation will line up for the first week of the season.

Scioscia said Wednesday morning Garrett Richards is scheduled — “in pencil” — to start March 31 against the Dodgers in the Freeway Series, just three days before opening day. Although that could be just a one- or two-inning tuneup that would still allow him to pitch opening day, that would seem to eliminate him from the assignment that typically goes to a team’s best starter.

Scioscia, however, left open the possibility of more changes.

“If you’re trying to figure out what our rotation is going to be opening day, you’re going to have to wait,” he said.

As of now, the Angels line up to have Matt Shoemaker start the April 3 opener at Oakland, followed by Tyler Skaggs, Richards, Jesse Chavez and Ricky Nolasco.

Skaggs, however, is at least an inning behind the other starters because of the time he missed with shoulder fatigue, so it would seem unlikely that he’d start the second game of the season. J.C. Ramirez, who pitched five strong innings on Tuesday, and Alex Meyer, who gave up five runs Wednesday, both also appear to be in the mix.

It’s also possible the Angels want Skaggs to pitch between Shoemaker and Richards, because they are the two starters who figure to work the most innings, so that would give the Angels more bullpen flexibility to back up Skaggs if he comes out early.

“There’s a couple things that could happen next week,” Scioscia said. “We can’t definitely give you our rotation for the Freeway Series.”

Also

Huston Street, who is out with a strained lat, said he feels “good, a lot better.” He believes he’s in line to start throwing within 7-10 days, which would match the original prognosis after he got hurt March 3 in his only game of the spring. Street said he couldn’t guess how long it will take him from the start of a throwing program until he can be active, but there are numerous steps involved. He has to play catch, then throw a couple bullpen sessions, then pitch in at least 3-5 games. All of that figures to take at least three weeks. … The race for the final spots in the bullpen remains wide open, with Cody Ege seemingly in the mix. Ege has not allowed a run in 8 1/3 innings this spring, with eight strikeouts and no walks. “He’s refined some stuff,” Scioscia said.

Jeff Fletcher has covered the Angels since 2013. Before that, he spent 11 years covering the Giants and A's and working as a national baseball writer. Jeff is a Hall of Fame voter. In 2015, he was elected chairman of the Los Angeles chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America.